Pale Reflection
by dnachemlia
Summary: Set in season 7, after Endgame. One of the team disappears and turns up in a very unexpected place.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Pale Reflection

Story: NCIS/ slight crossover with Supernatural, in which none of the major characters appear or are mentioned by name.

Rating: T/PG – Gen

Genre: Supernatural/Angst

Warnings: General weirdness.

Set in Season 7 after Endgame

Summary: One of the team disappears and shows up in a very unlikely place.

Disclaimer: Don't own, just playing, yadda yadda.

My muse threw this plot bunny at me and it would not leave. She has apparently been lacing her espresso with crack now…or maybe mescaline.

* * *

Part 1

Tim McGee slowly made his way through the streets of Silver Spring, concentrating on nothing more than putting one foot in front of the other and keeping his mind of the events of the past few days.

Easier said than done.

He had declined Tony's invitation for a drink after work, opting instead for an evening of solitude. The truth was, right now he couldn't really stand to be around anyone. Especially his team, those who had seen what he had experienced: one more bad relationship in an unfortunately long line of them. He thought it was bad when the women he had been dating were just a little nutty or had commitment issues, and when he had managed to find one who took joy in stealing from him, he didn't think it could get much worse. It seemed, however, that Murphy's Law ruled his love life. He just couldn't understand how he had so completely misjudged Amanda…Juliet, whatever the hell her name had actually been; the seemly sweet girl who had only set sights on him to get what she wanted, who had actually been ready to kill him.

Maybe the monastery option wasn't such a bad idea after all.

McGee turned and headed down an unfamiliar side street, passing several small businesses. The pedestrian traffic had grown significantly lighter as the evening wore on, and he reflected that up until a few months ago, his walks would have taken him through more the more populated areas on his way to the dog park, where he would enjoy watching Jethro romp with the other dogs, eliciting smiles from fellow canine aficionados. Unfortunately, after much soul searching, he had decided that the rarity of such outings was not fair to his furry friend, and he had sent Jethro to live with his parents. Now the former drug dog was enjoying his retirement in the country and was getting the constant attention he had so obviously craved. Tim missed his old companion more than he had expected, but he knew the dog deserved better than what a special agent's hectic schedule allowed.

McGee sighed. He couldn't even hold on to a relationship with Man's Best Friend.

Concerned with his own problems, he hadn't noticed that the weather had changed for the worse. He did notice that he was hungry and when he spotted a Chinese restaurant, _Lee Ho Fook's_, he considered stopping for dinner. Just as he was about to cross the street, the heavens opened and it started to pour down rain, forcing him back under an awning on his side of the street. He waited for it to let up, but Mother Nature was apparently in a mood and the heavy rain kept him in place. He didn't notice the door behind him had slowly opened until the shop owner spoke.

"May I help you?"

McGee turned to see an elderly man standing in the doorway, a man who strongly reminded him of Jackson Gibbs. McGee stared in surprise for a moment before he recovered and was able to respond.

"Uh, no, sorry. I just caught in the rain without an umbrella. I'm waiting for it to let up, but-."

"It doesn't look like it will any time soon. You might as well come in, then. Drier in here, at least, and I don't close up for another half-hour or so."

"Thanks." McGee stepped into the shop and the owner closed the door behind him. He was surprised to see that he was in an antique shop with a rather impressive inventory crammed into the small space.

"Go ahead and have a look around. You might see something you like."

McGee nodded and made his way towards the back of the shop. He didn't want to tell the man that he didn't have any money with him; he had left his wallet at home, along with his ID and gun. When he had left for his walk he hadn't even wanted any reminders of his work or his current lot in life.

So much for that idea.

As he walked through the shop, he noticed an inordinate number of mirrors lining the walls and taking up space on the shelves. He made an effort to be more careful and to avoid snagging any of them as he passed. He certainly didn't need any more bad luck.

McGee shook his head. This train of thought was really not helping, but he couldn't seem to shake it. He was tired of things turning bad on him. He was tired of being the brunt of fate's sick sense of humor. And, more than anything else, he was tired of going home to an empty apartment with the knowledge that it would stay that way for the foreseeable future.

When he reached the back of the shop, he stopped in front of a full length mirror with an ornately carved dark wood frame. He took a long look at himself, wondering just what it was about him that led to his solitary existence. He was getting into shape, which, if you believed the popular press, should make him more desirable. He didn't think he was bad looking, and after several successes on the job, his confidence was improving. So why, on a Friday night, was he standing in front of a rather hideous mirror in an old antique shop rather than enjoying the company of others?

He reached out and pressed his palms against the glass, leaned close and looked directly into his reflection.

"Maybe I'm just meant to be alone."

Suddenly, he felt a strange sensation, as if the mirror had suddenly become electrified. He tried to pull away but he was held in place and before he could call out for help, he felt himself falling forward as darkness overwhelmed him with sickening swiftness.

* * *

Sunlight danced across his face as McGee opened his eyes and he immediately sat up and glanced around his bedroom in surprise. He checked his watch and groaned. He had to leave almost immediately or he would be late, and he really wasn't in the frame of mind to deal with any remarks that would accompany such tardiness, especially in the wake of such a weird dream. He got up and was surprised to find he was still fully dressed, and his clothes were startlingly unwrinkled. He made a quick trip to the bathroom to brush his teeth and hair and when he glanced in the mirror, he paused. His reflection was a little fuzzy, as if there was a film over the glass. He made a mental note to clean the mirror, when had time, of course, and returned the bedroom. He hurried to pull on his shoes, gathered up his gun and ID, and headed for the front door.

He stepped into the hall outside his apartment before turning to lock the door. When he turned to head down the hall, he stopped, frozen in shock. He was no longer standing in the hallway of his apartment building.

He was standing in the bullpen of NCIS.

His eyes swept the area, looking for a familiar face, someone to tell him that maybe he was still dreaming, but the area was completely empty and deathly silent. No clacking of keyboards, no hum of equipment, no low rumble of conversation: all the background noise he had taken for granted for so many years was gone.

He reached up and pinched himself, expecting to feel nothing, to show that this was not real, but he felt the pain he had inflicted and winced. With growing fear, he decided to try something else.

"Hello?" he called out, expecting to be unable to hear his own voice, but it reverberated in his ears as it would if he was standing in an empty room. Desperate to wake up, he reached up and smacked himself on the back of the head, but the scene did not change.

Finally, he began to accept, with a bitter, sinking feeling: something was very, _very_ wrong.

* * *

A/N: So, what do you think so far? Reviews, as always, are always appreciated.

Just to let you know, this story will only be about 4 or 5 chapters long, plus an epilogue.

BTW, did anyone recognize the name of the restaurant? ;)


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to those of you who have left a review or added this story to your alerts. Feedback is a wonderful thing

* * *

Title: Pale Reflection

Story: NCIS/ slight crossover with Supernatural, in which none of the major characters appear or are mentioned by name.

Rating: T/PG – Gen

Genre: Supernatural/Angst

Warnings: General weirdness.

Set in Season 7 after Endgame

Summary: One of the team disappears and shows up in a very unlikely place.

Disclaimer: Don't own, just playing, yadda yadda.

* * *

Part 2

"Where the hell is McGee?" growled Gibbs as he strode into the bullpen, coffee in hand.

"And a good morning to you, too Boss," responded Tony, receiving a cold glare from the irate lead agent in return. "I haven't seen him. Maybe he changed his mind about taking some time off."

"If he did, he didn't clear it with me. Find him. I need him to go through the financial records from Lt. Arnett's case."

"I thought that case was cold, Gibbs," Ziva questioned.

"And that's a reason not to review it, Agent David?"

"Of course not. I will call McGee's cell number."

"And I'll call his home number," added Tony, happy to have a break from staring at his computer screen. As he did, he felt a twinge of worry. It wasn't like McGee to be late for work, except when... "Maybe you should check your email, Boss."

Gibbs shot him another glare, sat down in front of his computer and pulled up his email program. "Nothing."

"He is not answering his cell phone," said Ziva.

"Or his home phone. Maybe he told the director-."

"Told me what?" asked Vance as he rounded the end of Tony's cubicle and entered the MCRT's section of the bullpen.

"That he wasn't going to be here today. McGee's late and we can't get a hold of him."

A brief flash of what might have been concern crossed Vance's face. "He made no mention of it to me."

"Maybe we better go check on him…"

"Ya think, DiNozzo?" snapped Gibbs as he tossed a set of keys to Tony. "Take Ziva with you, and be quick about it."

"I guess that means I'm driving." Ziva smirked as she grabbed the keys and headed for the elevator.

_Great_, thought DiNozzo. _So much for a quiet weekend shift…_

* * *

"His car is in his parking spot," remarked Ziva as she deftly picked the lock on McGee's apartment door. "Maybe he just overslept." The lock clicked and she turned the knob to open the door.

"McGee," she called. "It's Ziva."

"Rise and shine, Probie!" yelled Tony as he followed her. He stopped to listen for a response but the apartment was silent. Drawing his weapon, he started down the hallway to McGee's bedroom as Ziva moved towards the far corner of the main room. He peeked inside and saw that the bedroom was empty before proceeding to the bathroom, which was empty as well.

"Clear!" he called after he stepped back into the bedroom and opened the closet door. He head Ziva echo the warning from the living room and she soon appeared in the doorway. Tony walked over to the nightstand, eased the drawer open, and stared in surprise at the contents. "His wallet, gun, badge, and cell phone are still here." He carefully retrieved the phone and checked the recent call list, finding only the number for NCIS as incoming and no outgoing calls. "It doesn't look like he was called away in an emergency, unless he cleared the list before he left. But why didn't he take anything with him?"

"Maybe he did not leave voluntarily." She retrieved her own phone and placed a call. "Gibbs, we are in McGee's apartment. He is not here. All of his things are here, though, and his car is in the lot. Yes. OK." She hung up and turned to Tony. "Gibbs is on his way here with the truck. He wants us to secure the scene, and he is putting out an alert for McGee. Director Vance is concerned that someone might be seeking retribution for recent incidents."

"Damn it," muttered Tony. As if McGee hadn't already dealt with enough crap this week. He carefully scanned the room, looking for signs of a disturbance but everything seemed to be in order. He moved out towards the larger room and continued his search but no problems were evident there, either. He checked the computer and saw that it had been turned off and since he knew better to reboot a system at a scene, he resigned himself to the fact that he and Ziva would just have to wait for Gibbs.

Less than an hour later, the three of them were processing McGee's apartment. There were no signs of a forced entry but they collected every trace of evidence they could find, hoping that they would be able to use it to determine who else might have been in the apartment or if they had been there in the time frame when McGee had apparently disappeared.

They moved out to canvas the neighborhood but the other residents of the complex were less than helpful. One neighbor thought he had see McGee leave unaccompanied the night before and that he had "turned left" when he exited the building which, groused DiNozzo, was not a lot to go on.

They then decided to check for security cameras along the possible routes McGee could have taken. The scope of the search area, since they had no idea how far McGee had traveled before his disappearance, was daunting. The team did manage to find several sites around McGee's apartment with security footage and had collected the recordings to send back to the lab. They interviewed dozens of business owners, customers, and residents without obtaining a single concrete clue as to McGee's whereabouts.

Finally, tired and frustrated, they headed back to NCIS. Ziva and DiNozzo attempted to find an electronic or paper trail for their missing colleague while Gibbs met with Vance to examine a possible motive for McGee's disappearance.

After several hours of searching and conferences with Gibbs and the director, the team had found absolutely nothing: none of his family knew what had happened, none of the targeted watch groups or less than friendly governments had given any indication they knew of McGee's disappearance, there was nothing on his computer that Abby could find linking the missing agent to a possible motive, he had not been on any of the surveillance videos, and a search of his financials had not turned up any red flags. McGee had literally vanished without a trace.

Exhausted, Tony leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, unable to look at the empty desk to his right. Peripherally he had known how much they relied on McGee to find answers, but until today he hadn't realized how much he missed the other agent's contributions, as well as his presence. An important component of their team was missing and Tony was starting to get a really bad feeling that it wouldn't be coming back.

With a sigh, Tony got up and headed for the men's room. Once inside, he leaned over the sink and splashed water on his face, trying to wake up and focus. He needed to find his Probie, not just because he was part of the team, but because of the great sense of loss he was experiencing. It was something he would not ordinarily admit: he missed his friend.

"Damn it, Tim," he said, focusing on the basin, "where _are_ you?"

He stayed in place for several moments, his eyes cast down, hoping for some flash of insight, some obvious answer to his question. Finally, with a feeling of resignation he looked up, past his own reflection, and gasped as he stared into the wide, terrified eyes of Tim McGee.

* * *

_*earlier*_

McGee frantically searched NCIS for signs of life but all the buildings, as well as the Navy yard, were completely empty. During the course of his search he discovered, quite by accident, that he did not need to actually _physically_ move though the Yard. After his initial search of the bullpen he thought about going to Abby's lab and suddenly he was there. Horrified, he had immediately wished himself back to the bullpen and had arrived there with no effort.

It completely freaked him out.

After fighting to calm himself, he had continued his ultimately fruitless search, and discovered something else.

He could not actually _leave_ the Navy Yard.

He had tried to think himself back home, or to some other familiar location, but it had not worked. He was stuck at work with no idea how he had arrived in the first place. Finally, after exploring what he could, he returned to his desk and sat in front of his useless computer and stared at the empty desks around him. What he had always feared had truly come to pass. He was completely and utterly alone.

Maybe this was Hell.

After what seemed like hours, and he had entertained every morbid possibility he could imagine for his present situation, he was startled when the silence was broken by a familiar voice:

"_Damn it, Tim, where_ are _you?"_

"Tony?" he gasped, springing to his feet. Without warning, he found himself in the men's room and recoiled in surprise and fear. He could not see his own reflection in the mirror above the sinks, but instead saw DiNozzo on the other side of the glass. The older agent's attention was focused on the sink in front of him. McGee rushed forward and stopped, almost afraid to try anything lest the illusion would be broken. Finally he called out to his friend.

"Tony? Tony, can you hear me?"

DiNozzo did not respond. With a sinking feeling, McGee moved closer and was about to try again when DiNozzo looked up and met his gaze. His reaction was immediate as his eyes widened almost comically. He backed away from the mirror, glanced behind him and returned his attention to McGee.

"Tony? Please, tell me you can hear me. Please, Tony, help me…"

Without a word, DiNozzo turned and rushed from the room.

McGee couldn't bear to go after him and he sank down against the wall until he was sitting on the floor, his head dropping to his knees as he slumped in defeat.

* * *

DiNozzo barely made it out of the room before he collapsed against the closest wall. What he had just seen continued to play through his mind and he nearly sobbed. The shock of seeing McGee had been quickly replaced by disbelief, thinking that what he was seeing had to be some sort of a trick. He had been about to voice his skepticism when the image of McGee had started to speak. There was no sound, but the words were plain:

_Tony? Please, tell me you can hear me. Please, Tony, help me…_

The absolute terror and desperation in McGee's expression told Tony that this was no joke. Unable to process what his gut was telling him, Tony had fled, leaving his friend behind.

After he had left, and had taken time to process, the explanations for what he had seen filled him with a sense of dread. Either someone had a really sick sense of humor or things were worse than he thought…

"Tony, what's wrong?"

He looked up to see Ziva crouched next to him and Gibbs standing behind her, concern etched on his face. DiNozzo managed a strangled chuckle.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"What just happened, DiNozzo?" asked Gibbs. "Have you heard-?"

"No, not heard." He looked up at his boss. "But if we're lucky, I'm just losing my mind."

"And if we are not lucky?" asked Ziva hesitantly.

"Then McGee is dead…and I just saw his ghost."

* * *

A/N: Of course, there is a third option… ;)

So, what do you think? Reviews, as always, are greatly appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to those of you who have left a review or added this story to your alerts. Feedback is a wonderful thing.

* * *

Title: Pale Reflection

Story: NCIS/ slight crossover with Supernatural, in which none of the major characters appear or are mentioned by name.

Rating: T/PG – Gen

Genre: Supernatural/Angst

Warnings: General weirdness and gratuitous pop-culture references.

Set in Season 7 after Endgame

Summary: One of the team disappears and shows up in a very unlikely place.

Disclaimer: Don't own, just playing, yadda yadda.

* * *

Part 3

"…_if we're lucky, I'm just losing my mind."_

"_And if we are not lucky?" _

"_Then McGee is dead…and I just saw his ghost."_

Gibbs stared at his senior agent in shock as he tried to control his anger. He really wasn't in the mood for DiNozzo's particular brand of humor.

"DiNizzo, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Boss, I swear to you, I-."

"Where?" interrupted Ziva.

The two agents turned to stare at her and she repeated her question.

"Where, Tony? Where did you see McGee?"

"In…in there," Tony replied, pointing towards the men's room.

Without a word, she rose and headed for the door. After sharing a look, Gibbs and DiNozzo followed. When they entered the room, Ziva was making a circuit of the small space, obviously searching for their missing colleague.

"He is not here now. What happened, Tony?"

"I was standing over there," he began, pointing to one of the sinks, "and I looked up and saw him standing behind me, but when I turned around there was no one there. I looked back at the mirror and I saw him again. He started talking, but I couldn't hear him. I could tell what he was saying; he was asking me to help him…I've never seen him look that scared before…and then I left." He turned to Gibbs. "I can't believe-."

"Did you say anything? To McGee?" Ziva gazed at him intently, obviously trying to piece the events together.

"Uh, no. I didn't."

"How about before you saw him?"

"Ziva," Gibbs interrupted, "do you know something about this?"

"I am not sure, Gibbs, but I might have an idea. Tony, did you _say_ anything before you saw McGee in the mirror?"

"I…I was thinking about his disappearance, and I wondered out loud where he was."

"What _exactly_ did you say, Tony?"

Tony paused, obviously trying to remember. "I said, 'Damn it, Tim, where _are_ you?'"

His attention was focused on DiNozzo when Gibbs caught movement in the mirror out of the corner of his eye. He turned and took a step back in surprise. McGee was there, a startled expression on his face. He did not appear to be injured, but he was wearing the same clothing he had worn yesterday, Gibbs noted.

Ziva noticed Gibbs' reaction, turned, and let out a small gasp. Her reaction was quickly echoed by DiNozzo.

_Boss? Ziva? Tony? _There was no sound, but they could tell what was being said.

"McGee?" Gibbs asked, unable to hide his disbelief. "What in the hell…?" He immediately began scanning the room for some sort of projection device, convinced it was a sick prank. When nothing was apparent, he turned back to the mirror, ready to unleash his anger and was drawn up short by the look on McGee's face as the junior agent started to speak again.

His focus was on Gibbs.

_Boss, please! I don't know what's happening…_

"Tim, can you hear me?" Ziva tried to get a response, but received a look of confusion from the junior agent in return when he noticed her again.

_Ziva? W-what's going on? Why can't I hear you?_

"I have an idea." She quickly turned and left the room. Gibbs and DiNozzo exchanged confused looks before returning their attention to the image in the mirror.

"Good to know I'm not the only crazy one," muttered DiNozzo and winced when he received a head-slap from Gibbs. "Thanks, Boss."

Gibbs was about to ask McGee another question when he vanished from the mirror.

"Damn it! Where did he go? McGee?"

The door opened and Ziva rushed in. She stepped up to the mirror and very clearly said "Tim." McGee reappeared, looking even more upset than before.

"Ziva, what-?" DiNozzo turned to her, obviously expecting an explanation.

"You said his name, Tony. It called him to the mirror. I just did the same next door and he appeared there."

"Are you saying he's in the _mirror_? Ziva, that's-."

"Crazy, yes, I know. Do you have a better explanation?"

"Well, I…"

Understanding what DiNozzo was thinking, Gibbs stepped closer to the mirror, catching McGee's attention. The pleading look in his eyes was unnerving the lead agent, but he knew what he had to ask, even though he could barely believe it.

"McGee, are you… are you dead?"

McGee's eyes widened in fear and he put his fingers up to his neck. A relieved look crossed his face and he shook his head.

"He is not a ghost. If he was, he would not have a pulse. He would also not need the mirror to appear." Ziva's explanation did not satisfy DiNozzo.

"Boss," asked Tony as he stared at McGee, "what the hell is going on?"

"No idea, DiNozzo. This is…this is a bit above my pay grade." He turned to Ziva. "Agent David?"

She sighed. "I think I can explain, but not here." She thought a moment. "Abby's lab. And we will need a mirror."

Gibbs pulled out his cell phone, still keeping an eye on McGee. The younger man looked slightly calmer now, clearly expected his boss to work things out. Gibbs sincerely hoped he wouldn't disappoint him.

Abby answered almost immediately.

"_Gibbs, have you heard anything? Have you found him_?"

"Sort of. Abbs, do you have a mirror? Or can you get one quickly?"

"_A mirror? What does that have to do with-?"_

"Abbs! Can you get one?"

"_I_ _can probably find something. Why_?"

"Good. Get it set up in your office. We'll be there ASAP." Before she could respond, he snapped the phone shut and turned to Ziva.

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"I hope that as well. I need to call my contact and then I will meet you in Abby's lab."

"You have a contact for something like this?" asked DiNozzo incredulously.

She merely gave him a smile before turning to the mirror and speaking to McGee.

"We will try to help you, Tim. We will call we everything is set up. Do you understand?"

He stared at her, apparently trying to comprehend what she had said. Finally, he nodded.

She quickly made her way to the door and when she stepped out, Gibbs turned to McGee, only to find that the agent had once again vanished. With a sigh, he turned back to DiNozzo.

"You OK, Tony?"

"No, not really." He barked out a humorless laugh. "I almost expect to hear Rod Serling…you know: '_you are about to enter another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. There's a sign post up ahead, Next stop-!_'"

*_WHACK_*

"Thanks, Boss."

* * *

Gibbs and DiNozzo arrived in Abby's lab shortly before she returned, breathless and carrying a large mirror.

"Where-?" asked Tony.

"Bathroom," she replied. "Now where do you want it? And what does this have to do with finding McGee?"

"Set it up against a solid surface," answered Ziva as she entered the lab. "Somewhere it will not been seen easily by anyone entering the lab."

Abby shot Ziva a puzzled look before carrying the mirror to her office. She set it up on the shelf behind the desk.

"Okay, now will someone _please_ tell me what this has to do with McGee?"

Ignoring her question, Ziva stepped up to the mirror and said, "Tim? Are you there?" He immediately appeared and Abby shrieked in surprise.

"McGee! What…where…_how_?"

"Ziva seems to think he's stuck in the mirror," replied DiNozzo, before turning to the new agent. "So how do we get him out, say his name five times?"

"It's three, but I do not think that will work. My contact believes that this is a curse or a spell of some sort."

"Oh great, so what now? Tell McGee to click his heels together and say 'there's no place like home'? Clap our hands and spin three times? Wait for a virgin to light a candle? What?"

Abby reached out and smacked DiNozzo on the back of the head.

"Hey!" He turned to her in surprised and received the full force of her frustration as she yelled.

"Will someone please tell me, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

"We're trying to figure that out, Abbs," said Gibbs, keeping his voice as calm as possible.

Abby deflated slightly as she turned to face him. "Gibbs, I…" He pulled her in for a brief one-armed hug, which calmed her enough to allow her to pay attention to Ziva.

"As I was saying, yes, McGee appears to be 'stuck' in the mirror, and it is most likely a curse of some sort, either against McGee directly or through contact with a cursed object."

"I told you to leave those puzzle boxes, alone, Probie," said Tony to the mirror. McGee's only response was a confused look, and Tony received an elbow in the ribs from Ziva. She gave him a glare before continuing.

"If the curse was against McGee, there will be evidence of it in his belongings: his car, apartment, maybe even his desk."

"What sort of evidence, Ziva? We already processed his apartment."

"Hex bags. They would be well hidden, something we would not find in a normal search. They are small, handmade, and contain herbs, bones and other occult objects."

"I don't even want to know," responded Tony. "What about the cursed object? And I can't believe I just asked that…"

"Can you help us," she asked McGee, ignoring Tony. "What happened after you left work yesterday?"

His only response was a puzzled look sent her way, so Abby stepped in.

"He doesn't lip read, Ziva. Tim?" She accompanied her words with gestures as she continued to speak to him. "Do you remember how to sign?"

He nodded briefly, and held out one hand, palm down, and wiggled his fingers as he moved his hand to the side and back. Abby nodded, placed two fingers to her mouth and moved her hand back and forth before pointing at McGee. He placed his hand, pointer finger extended, up to his head with his palm facing his forehead, and then moved his hand up and away from his head. She pointed at herself and repeated the first sign he had made. He nodded again, a look of relief crossing his face.

"He said he can fingerspell," translated Gibbs. "Abby will lip read what he says, and he said he understands. She'll spell what we say back to him."

"What do you need to know, Ziva?" Abby was much calmer now that had apparently accepted the strange situation and had something on which to focus her energy.

"What happened after he left work? Did he go somewhere? Did he meet anyone?"

Abby slowly signed the questions and then translated his response.

"_I went for a walk. I don't know how far. It started to rain, and I went inside a shop; an antique store. There was an old man who invited me in out of the rain. He told me to have a look around, so I did. That's all I remember until I woke up this morning. I was afraid I would be late for work, and I was already dressed, so I left my apartment and I was instantly at NCIS_."

"Wait, you're _here_?" interrupted Tony. "How?"

Abby quickly relayed his questions to McGee.

"_I don't know. I'm at NCIS but I can't leave. I can go anywhere I want, just by thinking about it, as long as it's within the Navy Yard. There's no one else here. It's completely empty. At first I thought I was dreaming, but I'm not."_ His expression clearly indicated that he wished he had been.

"Did you meet anyone else on your walk?" asked Ziva. McGee shook his head. "Tell me about the old man."

"_He, uh, didn't say much else. Just that he had to close the shop soon_."

"What did you see in the shop?" Suddenly, McGee expression paled. "What is it, Tim?"

"_Mirrors. Lot's of mirrors_."

"Crap," muttered Gibbs. It sounded like option two was more likely.

"Did you touch any of them?"

"_I don't…I don't remember. I might have, accidentally_." His shoulders slumped. "_I screwed up, didn't I?"_

"It's not your fault, Tim." Gibbs tried to reassure his agent. "We'll figure this out."

"Where was the shop, do you remember?" Ziva broke in, trying to distract the distraught young man.

"_No. It was not a place I've been before. I didn't even see the name of the place before I went in_."

"Did you notice the name of anything else around it?"

"_A Chinese restaurant. I remember because I was thinking about crossing the street to go get dinner right before it started to pour down rain. It was called _Lee Ho Fook's." Abby paused her translation to giggle and Tony grinned.

"Did you see a werewolf with a menu in his hand, Probie? Going to get a big dish of beef chow mein?"

He glanced at Abby and they howled in unison before Gibbs head-slapped them both, although the agent received a much harder blow than the forensic scientist.

"Sorry, Boss. Couldn't help myself."

Gibbs noticed the slight smile on McGee's face, the first one he had seen since this whole weird thing began, and smirked.

Ziva stared at all of them with her classic "my coworkers have lost their minds" look before continuing her questions to McGee.

"Do you remember anything else, Tim? Anything at all?" Abby translated and McGee shook his head. "It might still be a hex, Gibbs. We should cover all plates."

"_Bases_, Ziva," corrected Tony.

Gibbs sent him a glare before turning to the rest of the team.

"Ziva, you and I will go check McGee's apartment and car for hex bags. DiNozzo, check his desk, and _don't_ make a mess of it. Abby, see if you can find that restaurant." Finally, he turned to his junior agent, who was looking more dejected than Gibbs had ever seen him. "McGee, help Abby as much as you can."

McGee gave him a weak smile, obviously relieved to still be included. _Thanks, Boss_.

"We'll get you home, Tim. I promise." He turned to the rest of his team. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go!" As they scrambled to comply, he hoped for the second time that day that he would not fail his junior agent.

* * *

A/N: So…how many of those references did you catch? ;)

In case you were wondering, McGee did not lie to them about touching the mirror. He simply doesn't remember.

It's canon that Ziva believes in the supernatural, so I thought she would make a good person to have a contact who knows about that stuff. SPN fans have probably guessed his identity ;)

I personally believe that McGee would have made the effort to learn at least some sign language when he was dating Abby and would probably still at least remember the alphabet, as well as a few other signs.

Please let me know what you think of the story. There will be one more chapter, and an epilogue.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you to those of you who have left a review or added this story to your alerts. Feedback is a wonderful thing. Sorry it took so long to update, but life had been sucktastic lately.

* * *

Title: Pale Reflection

Story: NCIS/ slight crossover with Supernatural, in which none of the major characters appear or are mentioned by name.

Rating: T/PG – Gen

Genre: Supernatural/Angst

Warnings: General weirdness and gratuitous pop-culture references.

Set in Season 7 after Endgame

Summary: One of the team disappears and shows up in a very unlikely place.

Disclaimer: Don't own, just playing, yadda yadda.

* * *

Part 4

Ziva stood in the middle of McGee's apartment and sighed in frustration. She and Gibbs had searched every inch of the place, and had found nothing except an excess of dust on the tops of the bookshelves; McGee was not a very thorough housekeeper. Gibbs had gone out to search the car and she was left to put things back in order. When McGee got back, he didn't need the embarrassment of a trashed apartment. If he got back…

Ziva shook her head. Those sorts of thoughts wouldn't help. They would find him, they had to, even if she had to call in reinforcements. She chuckled briefly when she tried to picture what Gibbs would think of the sort of people she would need to call.

Speaking of calling… She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Abby's lab, surprised when a familiar male voice answered.

"_Forensics."_

"Tony, what are you doing down there? You are supposed to be searching McGee's desk."

"_Already done, Ziva. I found nothing that even remotely looked like a 'hex bag'. I came down here to…help Abby_."

_And to check on Tim_, she thought with a slight smile. As much as Tony liked to give the appearance that he just mostly tolerated the younger man, she knew he really did care about McGee.

"Has she found the restaurant?"

"_No. No record of a restaurant with that name anywhere in the area. Maybe Probie read it wrong. OW!_" The smack was audible even through the phone, and Ziva could hear Abby scolding Tony before she started speaking into the phone.

"_We're working on something else now, Ziva. McGee remembered that the owner of the shop said he had to close in a half an hour, so, assuming that the shop would close _on_ the hour, we can figure out when McGee was actually there, and based on how far he could have walked we're narrowing down the area where the shop might be."_

"That's good, Abby—."

"_We're also using the weather information from last night. Tim said it started to rain hard right before he stopped, so we've been able to narrow it down even more. It's still about a five square block area, though. I'll send the information as soon as I can."_

"Good. Please hurry, Abby."

"_You know I will, Ziva."_

Ziva ended the call and turned to find Gibbs standing behind her. She could tell by the look on his face that he had heard the conversation, even though he asked for an update.

"They having any luck?"

"No, but we should hear something soon. Did you find anything?

"Nope. I guess we're on option two now."

"We will just have to wait until Abby and Tim can find the shop. In the meantime…"

"Let's get this placed cleaned up."

* * *

DiNozzo stood in the corner of Abby's office, watching the silent communication between McGee and the forensic scientist. He was amazed that, even with the huge barrier they faced, the pair was still able work as they always had. He felt a twinge of guilt from his reaction: it really was time to stop underestimating McGee. He gave the man grief about his "geek" habits, but in reality he was impressed at what they man could do with a computer, even under adverse conditions. When they got him back, DiNozzo would tell McGee what he really thought. If they got him back…

No, he couldn't think like that. Probie had always had his back, despite some disagreements (a lot of which, he had to admit, were his fault) and he owed it to McGee to get him out of this.

He took another look at the mirror and felt a twist of apprehension. Abby now had her back to McGee, so she obviously wasn't seeing what was occurring.

"Uh, Abby, do you notice anything…strange about McGee?"

"Other than the fact that he's in the mirror?"

She turned around and gasped when she saw what DiNozzo meant: McGee was almost transparent. He was no longer looking at them and didn't seem to notice their reactions to his current state.

"Tim?" No response. "Tim, can you hear me?" McGee never looked up and he continued to fade. Tony knew in his gut that they were running out of time.

"Abby," said DiNozzo, "how soon until the grid is ready?"

She rapidly hit a few keys and turned to him. "I sent the info to all of you on your phones." She turned back to the mirror and her eyes widened. "Tim!"

McGee was gone. She called his name several times, but he did not reappear.

"Oh God…Tony, please, find him!"

The senior agent was running from the lab before she had even finished.

* * *

Tim leaned against the desk in his version of Abby's lab and sighed. He had a pretty good idea how long it would take to search the area that he and Abby had delineated. His biggest concern was what they were going to do if his team actually did find the shop. Their training didn't exactly cover cursed objects (well, maybe Ziva's did) and he had no idea how to fix his current situation, especially since he couldn't remember exactly how he had gotten there in the first place. At least he would have some help figuring it out…

He glanced up to check on Abby's progress and gasped. He was no longer in Abby's lab. His fear mounting, he turned and looked around before realizing that he had been there before.

_The antique shop…_

Suddenly he remembered more of what had happened and rushed towards the back of the store, hoping to find the apparent source of his misery. When he reached the farthest corner of the room he saw the mirror, only it was no longer a mirror: the glass was in place but it was completely black.

* * *

Gibbs put the last book on the shelf just as his cell phone rang, indicating that he had a message. He was about to open the file when the phone beeped, indicating an incoming call.

"Gibbs."

"_Boss, Abby sent you the search grid and I'm on my way there. We need to hurry."_

Gibbs was surprised by the panic that was evident in DiNozzo's voice. "What happened?"

"_McGee is gone. We tried to call him back but it didn't work."_

"Damn it…How soon can you get here?"

"_Well I'm not Ziva, but I'll be there as fast as I can." _

Ziva brought her phone over and showed Gibbs the grid.

"DiNozzo, take the southeast quadrant, it's closest to you. Ziva and I will take the northern half. If you find the place, call me, and don't go inside until I get there. Got it?"

"_Yes, Boss."_

* * *

_***two hours later***_

They had each searched their quadrants and found nothing, so they worked together on the last section. The area that they were in was full of empty buildings and they were starting to wonder if they ever would find the place where their teammate had disappeared.

The block Gibbs was on consisted of run-down apartment buildings interspersed with shops bearing FOR LEASE signs. He had nearly reached the end of the block when he spotted an awning with Chinese characters. He took a closer look at the shop and saw that the business was closed, apparently permanently. He sighed in frustration, turned to look across the street, and froze. The store had a faded green awning and the window of the shop still bore the name of the business: _The Looking Glass._

Gibbs pulled out his phone and called Tony as he crossed the street for a closer look.

"_Yeah, Boss?_"

"I think I found it. Call Ziva and get over here: 7734 Crawford Street."

"_On my way."_

Gibbs looked in the window and saw several mirrors, but not much else, scattered across the visible shelves. The CLOSED sign on the door was faded, but there was nothing to indicate that the shop was out of business. He tried the door handle and was surprised to find it unlocked.

Gibbs was about to open the door when he heard a screech of brakes behind him and turned to see Tony and Ziva climbing out of their sedan.

"What was that you said about waiting for backup?" asked DiNozzo.

Gibbs just shot him a glare and opened the door. The shop was silent as they stepped inside, and nothing moved except the dust motes drifting through the stale air.

"Spread out. DiNozzo?"

"Yeah, Boss?"

"Don't touch anything."

DiNozzo gave him a weak grin. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Gibbs made his way towards the back of the store, pausing occasionally to say Tim's name into the mirrors that he passed, but saw nothing but his own worried reflection. He could hear the others calling their lost teammate but nothing to indicate that he had appeared.

Gibbs rounded the corner of the last aisle to reach the far corner of the shop and stopped, shock and disbelief crossing his face before he surged forward with a shout.

"Tim!"

His agent lay crumpled on the floor in front of a large, ornate frame. Gibbs barely noticed that the glass in the frame was black as he knelt next to McGee and gently rolled him onto his back. McGee's skin was pale, almost grey, and his lips were blue. Gibbs grabbed his shoulder and shook him, but there was no response.

"Damn it, Tim, wake up. That's an order!"

He looked up as Ziva rushed to McGee's side, with DiNozzo only a few steps behind.

"Tim!" they shouted in unison as they fell to their knees next to their friend.

Suddenly Gibbs saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye and looked up at the mirror as the black glass lightened and the image of the young agent appeared. McGee's obvious relief quickly changed to fear when he looked down and saw what lay on the floor.

"Come on, Tim!"

Gibbs glanced down at DiNozzo. He was frantically trying to get a response from the still form while Ziva searched for a pulse. She looked up and gasped when she saw McGee in the mirror. DiNozzo followed her gaze and his eyes widened when he saw McGee.

"Damn it, Probie, what are you waiting for? Get back here, now!" The panic in his voice mirrored McGee's expression.

"Please, Tim, come back. We need you. We _all_ need you," said Ziva, her normal stoicism crumbling.

Gibbs stood and looked down at his team before returning his attention to the silent image in the mirror. He felt like a piece of him was being torn away. This was his family, all of them, and it was time to let one of them know for certain what he meant to them.

"Tim, Ziva is right. We all need you," he said in a low voice, speaking directly to the mirror. "Not just for your abilities. We need _you_. _I_ need you."

McGee looked at his team and his eyes widened in apparent understanding. He looked Gibbs in the eye and nodded before giving him a weak smile. He reached up to place both hands on the mirror, lowered his head and said something that Gibbs could not read…

And vanished.

* * *

McGee couldn't believe his eyes when the mirror changed. He saw Gibbs and slumped in relief. That feeling was short lived, however, when he saw his own body on the floor on the other side of the mirror.

_Oh crap…_

He watched as his team tried to revive him, and even though he could not hear what they were saying, the meaning was plain: they were desperately trying to get him back.

He tried to remember exactly what it was that he had done that night in the shop. He had remembered going to the back of the store, seeing that damn mirror, but what had he done? He had been upset, worried that he didn't have anyone…worried about being alone.

That was it! He had said it out loud, and touched the mirror.

_Maybe I'm meant to be alone._

But how…?

He looked up and saw that Gibbs was speaking to him.

"_We all need you. Not just for your abilities. We need _you. I_ need you."_

He was needed. He had a team, a _family_. He finally understood what he needed to do.

McGee smiled at the image of Gibbs, placed his hands on the mirror, and looked down.

"I'm not meant to be alone."

He felt a familiar sensation, like electricity working its way through him, and suddenly everything shifted.

The first thing he registered was sound: real, actual noise, and three voices calling his name.

"_Tim!_"

The second was touch: the hands of his team gripping his arms, his hands, his face, and he realized how much he had been missing that sensation: human contact. He almost sobbed as he opened his eyes and saw the faces of his friends.

"Hey…" His own voice sounded surprisingly weak to his ears. The worry he saw in the teams' expressions indicated that it wasn't his imagination.

"Probie, are you OK?" Tony was the first to ask, and for once McGee wasn't surprised.

"I think I've been better," he replied, stronger now. Gibbs and DiNozzo helped him up, but the first step he took almost sent him back to the ground.

"I guess I need to get used to walking places again." He heard a dry chuckle from Gibbs as Ziva and Tony placed themselves on either side of him for support.

"Let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps."

"You and me both, McGee," replied DiNozzo.

The trio started toward the entrance and had made it halfway down the aisle when they noticed something.

"Where is Gibbs?"

Ziva's question was followed almost immediately by a loud crash and the sound of breaking glass. The group started back down the aisle and when they rounded the corner they saw Gibbs standing next to the newly broken mirror. He turned to them with an innocent expression.

"Oops?"

McGee couldn't help himself: he started to laugh.

_Damn, that feels good._

He was joined by his team and after a few moments they were able to collect themselves and start back towards the entrance.

"Tony, Ziva, we're taking him to the hospital." McGee started to protest but Gibbs cut him off. "You've been out for nearly thirty-six hours, McGee. You need to get checked over. Understood?"

"Yes, Boss."

"I do have one question," said Ziva as she turned her attention to Gibbs.

"What?"

"How are we going to explain this to the Director?"

* * *

_***several hours later***_

"So, let me get this straight," growled Vance, addressing the entire group. "Special Agent McGee interrupted a burglary in progress, was overtaken by the perpetrators, knocked out, and locked in a storage room in the adjacent building. You were able to find him through an anonymous tip. He was unconscious when you found him and you brought him to the hospital. He is being treated for dehydration and a mild concussion that he received after being hit over the head by one of the men involved in the burglary, whom he did not get a chance to see and cannot identify. Is that correct?"

"Yes, Director," they all replied as one.

McGee couldn't meet the director's gaze but hoped it would pass for embarrassment and exhaustion rather than deception. The fact that he was still reclining in a hospital bed and hooked up to an IV also probably helped his case.

Vance stared at McGee for what felt like forever before finally nodding. "You were fortunate that's all they decided to do to you, Agent McGee. I hope you appreciate how hard your team worked to find you."

"I do, Director. Believe me, I really do."

Vance smirked. "I expect to see you all back at work on Tuesday. Take tomorrow off."

"Thank you, Director."

After Vance left, Gibbs gave the group a lop-sided grin. "At least that's settled. Now, what about what really happened?"

DiNozzo cleared his throat and brought out a sheet of paper from his pocket. "The store has been closed for the last three months. The owner, Arthur Mitchell, was killed in an actual robbery attempt." He showed the picture to McGee and he gasped.

"That's him! The old man that let me into the shop. What in the hell?"

"Kind of looks like Gibbs' dad, doesn't he?" DiNozzo whispered to Ziva, and winced when he received a head slap form Gibbs. "Thanks, Boss."

"Any ideas on this one, Agent David?" asked Gibbs.

"A ghost?"

"Aw come on, Ziva, you know there are no such thing as ghosts!" laughed Tony.

"Then why did you think McGee was one when you first saw him in the mirror?"

"You did?" McGee couldn't help but smirk. "No wonder you looked so freaked out."

"Can it, Probie. So this is really the guy you saw. Are you sure?"

"Yeah…yeah, I'm sure."

"Well I don't know about the rest of you, but this one rates about a nine-point-oh on my Weird-Shit-O-Meter," said Tony with a strained grin. Gibbs chuckled and nodded, but Ziva shook her head.

"Out of ten? That seems a bit high to me."

"Seriously? There are weirder things out there? Like what? Zombies?"

Ziva just smiled.

"Ah, great, I'm gonna have to remember a whole new set of rules!"

"The only rules you need to remember are _mine_, DiNozzo."

"Yes, Boss."

"Rule number eight: never take anything for granted," said McGee softly.

Gibbs turned to him and smiled. "You got _that_ right, Tim."

Any further conversation was derailed when nurse came in to remove McGee's IV and to get his discharged papers signed. After she left, DiNozzo turned to him.

"You ready to get out of here, McGee?"

"More than you can imagine."

"Great. We'll bring the car around, and _I'm_ driving, Ziva. Tim has had enough trauma for one day. Speaking of trauma, maybe you can tell us what else we need to watch out for, Ziva."

"You want the truth?"

"I…oh, no, I'm not stepping into that one."

Ziva smirked, winked at McGee and turned to leave the room with DiNozzo on her heels.

"Aw, come on, Ziva, just give me a hint…"

McGee couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. _It's great to be back._

He finished getting dressed and started to walk towards the door. Gibbs placed a hand on his shoulder and he turned to face the older man.

"There's one more rule, Tim: we never leave a man behind."

"I know that boss, and…thanks."

"Now let's get you home."

McGee followed Gibbs with a smile on his face, one thing on his mind that was perfectly clear.

_I'm not alone._

* * *

And now for the Epilogue and the explanation of what _really _happened ;)


	5. Epilogue

Hey look, I finished something! What should I work on next? ;)

* * *

Title: Pale Reflection

Story: NCIS/ slight crossover with Supernatural, in which none of the major characters appear or are mentioned by name.

Rating: T/PG – Gen

Genre: Supernatural/Angst

Warnings: General weirdness and gratuitous pop-culture references.

Set in Season 7 after Endgame

Summary: One of the team disappears and shows up in a very unlikely place.

Disclaimer: Don't own, just playing, yadda yadda.

And now for a last little bit of silliness and then the explanation, for you SPN fans at least ;)

* * *

Epilogue

McGee stepped off the elevator and glanced around, inwardly sighing in relief at how normal the NCIS bullpen appeared. He had awoken that morning with the lingering concern that it was not over. Even after a visit to Abby's lab and a _very_ enthusiastic greeting from the forensic scientist, he had still held his breath before the elevator doors opened.

As he walked through the room, he reveled in the noise and activity of his second home. When reached his desk sat down he found his first surprise of the day: someone had hung a large and rather ugly mirror on the wall of his cubicle. He bit back a laugh as he caught his reflection.

DiNozzo grinned as he leaned over McGee's shoulder and met his gaze in the mirror. McGee glared at him, barely able to keep the amused smirk off his face.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest Probie of them all?" intoned DiNozzo.

"I am!" exclaimed Ziva as she appeared over his other shoulder.

"You guys never let up, do you?" asked McGee with feigned annoyance.

"Nope." They all looked at their reflections and grinned.

"If you three are done admiring yourselves," cut in Gibbs, "grab your gear. Dead Marine at Quantico."

"Got it, Boss," they replied in unison and each moved to get their bags before following Gibbs into the elevator. As the doors closed, McGee looked at his team, his _family_, and chuckled to himself. _Some things never really change._

He knew that he wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

Unseen by the team, a figure watched them as they processed their new crime scene. It was probably just as well their attention was focused elsewhere. If they _had_ seen him, they would have recognized him, even though only one had seen him in person.

The white-haired, blue-eyed old man chuckled to himself, finally able to admit that he was actually rather fond of this strange little group. They were proof that it wasn't blood that made them close, but the fact that they cared for each other without the need for blind loyalty, something which his own family could take note. They had all just needed a reminder of what was important. He had to admit that they had impressed him, learning and absorbing the lesson quickly.

Unlike _some _chuckleheads he could mention.

Granted, this lesson had not been as…_sharp_ as most of the others he had given: relatively simple, with barely any pain and suffering. No need for aliens, wormholes or time loops here.

Maybe he was just getting soft in his old age.

As he watched the team do their job, he let his mind wander to his newest concern, or rather, _who_ was concerning him, and decided it was time for a new lesson.

Suddenly his image shifted: the white hair morphed to brown and the blue eyes darkened to a roguish hazel. His wrinkled faced smoothed out, and his nose took on a slightly more pointed appearance. Finally, his clothes changed from an old man's cardigan and slacks to jeans, a t-shirt and stylish jacket. He reached into the pocket of the jacket, pulled out a candy bar, quickly unwrapped the treat and took a large bite, just before fading out with smirk and a shimmer of blue light.

He had work to do.

The End

* * *

And there you have it, a NCIS/SPN crossover featuring The Trickster, a character known for playing (sometimes deadly) pranks in order to teach a lesson.

Pop-culture references:

Part 1: the name of the Chinese restaurant is from the song _Werewolves of London_, by Warren Zevon, and is referenced again by Tony and Abby in Part 3.

Part 2: Supernatural episode _Mystery Spot_

Part 3: _The Twilight Zone_ (original TV series), _Candyman_, _Wizard of Oz_, _Peter Pan_, _Hocus Pocus_, _Hellraiser_. Also a sort of reference to the Supernatural episode _Weekend at Bobby's, _andalso_ Bloody Mary._

Part 4: _Men in Black_, _Zombieland _and_ A Few Good Men._

Epilogue: _Snow White_ (or _Shrek_, take your pick ;) ), and Supernatural episodes _Tall Tales_, _Mystery Spot_, and _Changing Channels_, which in the timeline takes place right after this story.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated.


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